Hinge



Nov. 9, 1965 J, FELlX 3,216,053

HINGE Filed Jan. 14, 1965 INVENTOR. JOHN E. FELIX yq a 170g ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,216,053 HINGE John E. Felix, Youngstown, Ohio,assignor to Lake Park Tool and Die, Inc., Youngstown, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 251,078 1 Claim. (Cl.16128) This invention relates to hinges in general and more specificallyinvolves a hinge structure which is adapted particularly for multipleuses.

The novel hinge arrangement herein disclosed is adaptable for use asinterior or exterior hardware and may be used on right or left swingingclosures. With no particular modification, the novel extending bushingof the instant case can be used to cooperate with a light weight framemember to bear a part of the load of the door, as will be described morefully hereinafter.

In recent years, hinges for internal use have been manufactured of brassand like materials in order to obtain a decorative effect. Suchmaterials, however, are costly, and thus builders have turned tobrass-plated hinges and like substitutes. In order to retain thepolished lustre, lacquer or a similar type material has been applied.This is somewhat unsatisfactory in that the coating chips or discolors,thereby requiring repeated polishin'g'. Further, the cost of such hingesis quite high.

The novel hinge arrangement with its extended bushing is suitable foruse as internal hardware. When used interiorly, the surfaces can beanodized in many colors, such as gold, or merely polished to obtain thedecorative effect of low lustre of modern aluminum furniture, which iswell known. Such polishing or anodizing would be effected after theforming operation, and would retain its lustrous appearance for manyyears since oxidation has been virtually complete. The novel bushingtrims the pin ends to give a neat finished appearance to the hinge.

Thus, it can be seen that the hinges herein disclosed can be usedinteriorly and exteriorly and yet can be formed by the same dies,thereby resulting in savings in die costs.

On exterior openings, light weight metal closures and frames have foundwide acceptance in the building and remodeling industry in recent years.Frame and closure members being manufactured of light weight metals,which are costly, have been reduced in thickness so as to minimize thequantity of metal used and curtail excessive costs. The reduction inthickness does not impair the rigidity of the closure or frame member,but one of the limiting factors has always been the hinge connection tothe frame.

Several attempts have been made in an effort to solve this problem,resulting in solutions of questionable value. Among the severalsolutions, one involved the use of a piano or extended hinge which ranthe length of the closure and frame. For obvious reasons, this was notcompletely satisfactory because of the increased cost due to theadditional material required for the hinge.

A more recent solution was the utilization of a pin which extendedbeyond the ends of the hinge, with the extended end being deformed byswedging or the like. The deformed ends of the pin were intended to beapproximately the size of a cooperating arcuate portion of the frameworkso that under severe loading conditions, part of the load would bedistributed through the pin end. Several disadvantages of such asolution present themselves when viewed in the light of the presentinvention.

It is evident that the tolerances of the deformed pin end portions wouldbe more diflicult to control than would be the case if the pin wereoversized and turned down to approximate the size of the cooperatingarcuate frame member. It can be appreciated that if the pin end is "iceoversized, a proper fit in the arcuate bead of the frame member cannotbe had. If the deformed pin end is undersized, a substantial movement ofthe leaf carried by the frame member would be necessary before thedeformed pin end would contact the arcuate frame portion to as sume apart of the load. It is apparent that, if move: ment between the hingeand frame member must be had before the pin end can be fully loaded, thehinge to frame connection will become loose with a resultant weakeningof the joint.

Another disadvantage of using a deformed pin end is the reduced area ofcontact between the deformed pin and the arcuate bead. Moreover, theorientation of the pin would have to be proper or the pin would not comein contact with the arcuate bead of the frame member.

One further disadvantage of using a hinge pin with a deformed end is therequirement of swedging with the leaves assembled, which is cumbersomeand additive to the cost of manufacture.

The novel bushing herein disclosed obviates the need for deforming thepin end, which is a distinct advantage. In the disclosed novel assembly,the hinge pin is merely cut to length, inserted in the interfittedknuckles and capped on each end by the novel bushings, without requiringfurther costly modification of the pin ends. This permits a shorter pinto be used, thereby reducing materialcosts. The use of the shortened pinand novel bushing obviates the need for special tools in assembling,which will hereinafter be explained more fully.

One of the more important aspects of the instant invention is theutilization of a turned or cast part, which is cylindrical, to cooperatewith the arcuate bead portion of the frame member so that the two partsare in close fitting engagement over the maximum area of loadingsurface, which in one concrete embodiment is approximately A furtherimportant advantage of the novel hinge construction herein disclosed isits ease of assembly. The extending bushing end cap holds the hinge pinin place by a friction fit with the end knuckles of the three-knuckleleaf and trims the hinge to present a neat appearance. As pointed outpreviously, the simple steps of assembly ob-' viate the need for specialtools or a special machine operator. This permits assembly by labor ofminimal skills in the field, if such is desirable or necessary.

In view of the foregoing manifestation of the problems presented byprior art devices and their solution residing in the novel hingearrangement herein disclosed, it is an object of this invention toprovide a novel hinge construction having an extended bushing tocooperate with the arcuate bead of a thin metal frame member.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an extended bushingwhich will cooperate with the frame member throughout the extent of thebead portion.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a hinge withinan extended bushing which may be used reversibly on either right or leftswinging closures.

It is a still further object to provide a bushing which will hold thehinge pin in place without modification of the hinge pin end ordeformation thereof.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a hinge whichcan be easily and conveniently assembled and installed by labor ofminimal skills.

Further novel features will become apparent when reference is made tothe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a frame and side stile of aclosure with portions of the knuckle, and pin assembly in section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken along the line" 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4. is a perspective view of the novel hinge;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective schematic view of the hinge with thepin and bushings below the three-knuckle leaf; and

FIG. 6 is an-elevational view of the hinge assembly with the lowerportion cut away to illustrate the knuckle, pin, and bushing assembly.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein like reference characters indicatelike parts, therein is shown a frame member 10. A generally Z-shapedframe member 11 overlies the surfaces 12 and 13 of the frame member 10.The Z-shaped member has a leg 14 with web 16, the latter having a leg 17extending at an approximate right angle thereto. A series of raisedportions or ribs 18 .are provided on the inner surface to rigidify theleg 14, as well as providing a weather-tight seal between the framemember and Z member 11. Where the frame member 10 is of wood, such asfir or the like, the ribs dig into the wood to insure a rigid connectionas well as a weather-tight fit.

The arcuate bead has an inner arcuate surface 19 which is approximatelyconcentric with the other surface. The web 16 extends tangentially fromthe arcuate portion of the head 15 at a right angle to the leg 14 andterminates at the leg. A rib 20 extends from the web into engagementwith the door surface 13 to space the web 16 from the frame member 10 toprovide the proper spacing for the three-knuckle leaf. The rib iscoextensive with the outer surface of the leg 17, the latter having agroove 21 to receive a suitable sealing means 22. .The three-knuckleleaf 23 is interposed in the space between the web 16 and the framemember 10. A suitable fastener 25 joins the web and three-knuckle leaf,as is best shown in FIG. 2. A fragmentary portion of a closure member 24is illustrated with the two-knuckle leaf 26 of the hinge assemblyfastened thereto by suitable means 27. The closure member 24 has ribs 28on the butt or end portion thereof, which provide a recess to receivethe two-knuckle leaf 26. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3,the two-knuckle leaf 26 has its outer edge in engagement with the rib28, thereby lending support along the full length of the hingle leaf 26.It is to be understood,however, that the hinge structure hereindisclosed is capable ,of being used with any modification of stile, suchas a flush or grooved end.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the two-knuckle leafhas a sharp bend 29 extending at approximately a right angle to the mainbody of the leaf and another bend 30 which merges into the curledknuckles 31. By the offset of the leaf this permits the stile 24 to bemanufactured with the extending rigidifying ribs 28, which, in theillustrated embodiment, serve to trim the hinge. The offset on thetwo-knuckle leaf can be omitted when the contemplated use is with aflush surface or, alternatively, bent to fit grooved or similarlymodified surfaces.

The two knuckle leaf 26 and three-knuckle leaf 23 are joined by a hingepin 32. As is best seen in FIG. 4, the pin ends are capped by bushings33, which are lightly press fitted into the upper and lower knuckles ofthe threeknuckle leaf. The bushings 33 extend beyond the ends of theknuckles and, as is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, conform with theinternal arcuate portion 19 of the head 15. It is obvious that the endsof the bushing 33 could be made arcuate or dome-shaped, if desirable.The lower bushing could be provided with a small hole or the like tofacilitate insertion of a nail to assist in removing the pin. Thebushings are made in the preferred embodiment of material such as thatsold under the trade name Oilite, but any suitable plastic or metalcould be used. With particular reference to FIG. 5, therein is shown anexploded diagram of the novel hinge assembly. The twoknuckle leaf 26 hasknuckles 31 which are curled from the raised surface 35 to form a bore36, which is counterbored as :at to receive bushings 37. The bushings 37are inserted in the counterbores to provide a suitable hearing surfacefor reception of the hinge pin 32, with flanged portion 51 of thebushing providing a bearing surface be- 4 tween the knuckles for freeswinging movement therebetween. Y

The three-leaf knuckle comprises a planar leaf portion with curledknuckles 38. The central knuckle 39 has a bore 40 which approximates theexternal diameter of the pin 32. The upper and lower knuckles 38 and 41respectively have enlarged bores 42 which approximate the externaldiameter of the bushing 33 to enable a light press fit thereof.

The bushing 33 has :a central bore which terminates short of one endwith the diameter thereof approximately the diameter of the pin 32. Theexternal diameter of the bushing 33 is equal to or slightly greater thanthe bore 42 of the knuckles so that it may be inserted therein with alight press fit.

When the hinge is assembled as shown in FIG. 4, the extended bushing 33fit into the upper and lower knuckles with a light press fit, so thatthe three-leaf knuckle, the bushings 33, and the pin 32 all are fixedwith respect to each other. The two-knuckle leaf rotates with respect tothe pin and the three-leaf knuckle assembly, with the bush ings 37providing a smooth bearing surface between the knuckles and pin forsmooth movement therebetween.

When exterior use is contemplated, the assembled hinge shown in FIG. 4is inserted into the Z-shaped frame member 11 from the back side thereofthrough a rectangular slot 44. The slot 44 can best be seen in FIG. 3 asextending from the termination 45 of the leg 14 to the interruption 46of the Web. The curvature of the knuckle 31 on the external peripheryapproximates the curvature of the bead 15. Therefore, when viewedlongitudinally, the two surfaces are coextensive and present a very neatand trimmed appearance. The length of the slot 44, as seen in FIG. 1, isslightly greater than the length of the three-knuckle leaf 23 tofacilitate the easy insertion therethrough. When the hinge is thusassembled, the extended bushing 33 conforms with the arcuate surface 19of the Z-shaped frame member, as is best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In operation, when the closure 24 swings with respect to the framemember 10, the two-knuckle leaf 26 pivots about the pin 32 which iscarried by the three-knuckle leaf '23. Any shocks imparted to theclosure member 24 would be normally carried by the hinge alone. However,in the instant case it can be seen that the load is additionallyabsorbed by the frame member through the novel extended bushing 33.

The attendant advantages of my novel extended bushing present themselvesin the form of savings in the amount of metal required in the framemember 11 since the distribution of loading is extended beyond thehinge, thereby allowing greater load to be supported for a giventhickness of metal of the frame member. Accordingly, with the use of thenovel extended bushing and hinge construction herein disclosed, themetal thickness can be reduced over that normally required withconventional hinge structures. Such reduction in thickness amounts to aconsiderable saving in material when due consideration is given to thethousands of such units that are manufactured daily.

A still further advantage resides in the fact that the hinge is capableof use on right or left handed closures. This is directly attributableto the symmetrical arrangement of the hinge. By such design, thisobviates the need of making separate hinges for right and left handedclosures, or exterior or interior use, thereby permitting the use of asingle manufacturing process to produce both types of reversible hinges.

As heretofore pointed out, the length of the unmodified hinge pin can bereduced when used with the novel bushing, resulting in a substantialsaving in material while giving rise to economical and simple assemblytechniques;

The novel bushing results in a sturdy hinge assembly which is capable ofsupporting loads beyond those normally anticipated without increasedcost of the product.

Moreover, it is capable of enduring years of rugged use and abuse, suchas that imposed by energetic youths.

For ease of description, the principles of this invention have been setforth in connection with but a single illustrated embodiment. It is notmy intention that the illustrated embodiment, nor the terminologyemployed in describing it be limiting, inasmuch as variation in thesemay be made without departing from the spirit of the invent-ion. Rather,I desire to be restricted only by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A hinge construction for use with a frame assembly having an arcuaterecess comprising a first leaf portion having a plurality of knucklesthereon, a second leaf portion having at least one knuckle thereoninserted between the knuckles of the first leaf portion, a cylindricalpin inserted through said knuckles, means interposed between the innerbore of the outermost knuckles of the first leaf portion and the pin toretain said pin in place, said means comprising uniformly cylindricalbushings adapted to be frictionally held between an end portion of thepin and an associated outermost knuckle and dimensioned to extendaxially through an associated outermost knuckle and project axiallytherebeyond for loading engagement with the arcuate portion of the framerecess, said second leaf portion having a counterbored portion in eachknuckle thereof adjacent the said outermost knuckles, and a flangedbushing inserted into each counterbored portion to serve as a guide forthe pin and a seat for an abuttingly disposed uniformly cylindricalbushing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,000,856 5/35Lyons 16136 2,010,659 8/35 Ferris 16136 2,209,125 7/40 Lachwitz 16168 X2,566,872 9/51 Bernhardt 16128 2,701,384 2/55 Barroers 16149 X 2,772,44112/56 Riser 16169 2,805,740 9/57 Quinn 16135 X 2,989,772 6/61 Parsons16162 3,002,592 10/61 Quinn 16148 X 3,013,297 12/61 Ferry 16-1693,015,126 1/62 Ahlgren 16169 X 3,065,496 11/62 Loughlin 16135 3,077,6302/63 Lipman 16135 X DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

